An important aspect of setting ceramic tile and stone around a drain is the process of applying “floor mud.” Floor mud is typically comprised of Portland Cement, sand and water mixed together to a semi-dry condition. The floor mud provides a surface upon which ceramic tile or stone may be set. The floor mud surface is referred to herein as the surface of floor mud, floor mud surface, or mud surface.
Proper construction of a floor surface with a drain into which water is to be collected presents a common challenge in building construction. Such a floor surface should be smoothly graded across its extent with sufficient and consistent inclination to facilitate water collection at the drain, while preventing unwanted pooling of water in other areas of the floor surface. Concomitantly, unduly steep and non-uniform inclinations should be avoided for aesthetic, comfort and safety reasons.
Meeting these objectives using conventional construction methods requires experience, diligence and attention to detail. Unfortunately, conventional methods of constructing such floor surfaces are time consuming, laborious and conducive to error. Typically, improvised solutions with tools that are not designed or particularly well suited for the process are utilized. In many cases, the end-products exhibit inconsistent, inferior and unacceptable properties. In such cases, the unacceptable floor mud must be removed and the process must be repeated, resulting in great loss of time, money, goodwill and possibly employment.
A device and method to facilitate properly, efficiently and consistently applying floor mud to achieve the desired inclination is urgently needed. The invention is directed to fulfilling one or more of the needs and overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.